Latest
research shows that 64% of wetlands worldwide have been lost since
1900, and that 76% of populations of freshwater plants and animals have
disappeared in the last 40 years alone (according to the WWF's Living
Planet report), which is worse than any other ecosystem. To combat the
downward global trends in loss and degradation of wetlands, Ramsar works
with governments and conservation organisations as well as bringing in
private sector and scientific expertise.
"Wetlands for our future" –
this year's theme for World Wetlands Day – seeks to highlight the
varieties of ways in which wetlands provide for us all, and the many
ways that we can all contribute to their conservation and restoration.
Too few people realize the numerous services and benefits wetlands provide and their importance for humans and the planet. Most importantly, wetlands are the source of our daily water. Additionally wetlands feed humanity.
Rice, grown in wetland paddies, is the staple diet of nearly three
billion people. The average human consumes 19 kg of fish each year. And
most of the fish sold, breed and raise their young in coastal waters and
estuaries. Moreover, 70% of all fresh water extracted globally is used
for crop irrigation. Wetlands purify and filter harmful waste from water, helping
to absorb harmful fertilizers and pesticides, as well as heavy metals
and toxins from industry. As an example, the Nakivubo Swamp in Kampala,
Uganda filters sewage and industrial effluents for free; a treatment
plant to do the same job would cost $2 million per year. Wetlands act as nature's shock absorbers.
Peatlands and wet grasslands in river basins act as natural sponges,
absorbing rainfall, creating wide surface pools that ease any flooding
in rivers. The same storage capacity will also safeguard against the
impact of drought. Wetlands provide sustainable livelihoods and products:
61.8 million people depend directly on fishing and fisheries for a
living. Timber for building, vegetable oil, medicinal plants, animal
fodder, and stems and leaves for weaving also comes from our wetlands.
And importantly for our future, wetlands help to fight climate change.
Peatlands alone store twice as much carbon as all the world's forests
combined, and in the face of rising sea levels, coastal wetlands reduce
the impact of hurricanes and tsunamis. They also bind the shoreline and
resist erosion.
Speaking from the banks of the Rhône in Geneva, a
Ramsar site of international importance, Secretary General of the Ramsar
Convention, Dr. Christopher Briggs, said: "We have a fantastic
opportunity with the restoration of wetlands to build a groundswell of
opinion and involve thousands of enthusiastic, concerned individuals who
want to make a difference. We can achieve great things if we work
together. I love to spend time in any wetland and so do millions of
others, and we have a duty to keep our rivers, lakes, sandy beaches and
blue seas in the state that we want our grandchildren to enjoy."
"Wetlands provide services worth an estimated $15 trillion worldwide –
including food, water, and climate regulation –
demonstrating just how vital they are to humans and the environment
alike and highlighting the need to conserve them. At the same time, the
economic cost of the destruction of carbon-rich mangroves, which are
being cleared 3-5 times faster than terrestrial forests, is at $42
billion in economic damages annually." said Achim Steiner, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UN Environment Programme Executive Director. "The
Ramsar Convention has further helped bring a shift in thinking, from
the perception that wetlands are unproductive and valueless to an
understanding that wetlands supply multiple values to society. There are
now 2,186 designated Ramsar sites covering over two million hectares
across the globe, but further challenges lie ahead as development
continues to encroach on these crucial ecosystems," he added. "World Wetlands Day shines greater light on the challenges still faced by wetlands – which have a key role to play in the post-2015 sustainable development agenda – and the communities who depend on them."
This
year, for World Wetlands Day, Ramsar is inviting people to make a
pledge for wetlands, committing to making small changes that can help to
slow the destruction and reverse the downwards trend. By pledging to
take shorter showers, or use reusable shopping bags, for example,
everyone can make a difference. Even better, organise a clean-up of a
local wetland.